MagnaDoodle Fisher-Price - I created this new design for the Magna-Doodle line while working at Fisher-Price in 2001. I encorperated a storage drawer, easy to remove and grip stampers, a safety pen to protect the screen as well as giving the new line a fresh look.
This design was introduced in 2002 and is still running. I am still happy to see it on shelf when I go to Target, day cares and in print and occasional tv shows!!
*Blue Chip Award by Oppenheim 2004
Gold Award 2004
Burger King Premium Toys
Leapfrog_Scout Line - This is 3 of the toys for the NEW Scout Line from Leapfrog. I was the Lead Designer on these small fun learning electronic toys. Just launched at Target, TRU and Amazon. The Phone is being shown at Toys fair and launches this Fall.
Sculpting Set - This is a set of product that I sculpted and a few that I directed the sculpting of for licensor approval when I used to work at Tivoli Too. We were like a cartoon consultancy. Really fun place to start my career as a toy designer. Lots of designing and then sculpting those designs for quick manufacturing.
These were produced as root-molded toys, ceramic products, resin products, injection molded products and some were moquettes
that the companies used for future licensors.
Fisher-Price Briarberry Bears Furniture - One of the first toy lines I worked on at Fisher-Price. I hand sculpted the prototypes in Foam and then did control drawings that were passed on to a model maker for the tooling models.
I worked on sculpting these maquettes for the Wubbulous World of Dr Suess. They were the first 3D versions of this artwork that combined Muppet and Dr Seuss characters. The center product was an ornament that was manufactured using paper pulp. The outside pieces were also eventually used as ornaments. FUN PROJECT! I loved viewing the original muppets for this one.
Chef Tony's Magic Kitchen_Fisher-Price
Fix and Learn Speedy by Leapfrog - Race Speedy and when he breaks down use the tools to fix him up! Modeled in Pro-E Wildfire. Sketched up in good ole' Photoshop.
Fix and Learn Speedy by Leapfrog - Here you can see the engine exposed. The mode switch on Speedy is the hood. A different way to do the mode switch on this guy. When it is open you are in Fix It mode and the content automatically changes. Lots of switches in the engine for when you are diagnosing the problems.
Leapfrog_Cook & Play Potsy - The technology with Potsy is with a vibration sensor in the base. He knows if you drop some food in or if you are stirring the pot. When you stir he does a fun stirring song and releases other content. Lots of fine tuning to get this sensor to work reliably in production. We also explored numerous patterns for the base that the textured spoon rubs on.
Ready Set School Line_ Vtech
Leapfrog_Scout Digital Sculpt - This is a digital sculpt I directed for our hero character called Scout for Leapfrog. I used a studio in Chicago (Creata) and directed the sculpt remotely from our LF offices in California for our Animation and Licencing needs.
It took about 3-4 rounds of revisions until the character was defined and refined and ready to stroll. We did a small run of these with rotating heads & seperate bases. The data was then rigged and used in animations. Go Digital!! Priceless...
Toys Toys Toys - These are a few of my "Greatest Hits" over the past few years. I have a lot of cool stuff coming down the pipeline for 2012 and 2012 so watch out!!
Scribble and Write _Leapfrog
Move & Learn Music Player by Leapfrog - This is a little rockin' music player for preshoolers that will get em up out of their seats and make em rock out! Fun little form factor with great music and animations. Giddy Up!
Zippity by Leapfrog
Leapfrog_Cook & Play Potsy - Potsy is pretty cool. You learn about cooking all with this little cooking pot. He knows when you add ingredients and also knows when you are stirring the pot. He sings cool songs and with the round base he dances to the music. He teaches you colors, cooking, hand coordination with put and take play and basic stuff like on/off, open/closed, and more!! Moms really liked it that all the food and spoon fits in the pot for easy storage.
Leapfrog Chat and Count Phone - These are some Bunkspeed images I did before tooling for the Chat and Count phone I designed for Leapfrog.
Leapfrog_Xylophone Zoo - This is the first electronic learning xylophone. I designed this with my HK designer Ling Leung. Great teamwork on this one. The pitch on the keys and ergonomics are really refined. Teaches you how to play songs or just have fun!
Baby Bathtub
Fisher-Price Pet Center - This is an old concept from my days at FP. Features vet and beauty play with recognizable collectable pets.
Dream Kitchen_Fisher-Price - I designed and built this in foam core and then in Solidworks for a 1:1 scale model. Partnering with Kitchen Aid was also a fun feature. This had electronics and lots of fun content.
Lights and Sounds Dollhouse SKU_Fisher-Price
HUGE Adult size prototypes
Foam Bopper Joystick - Final Engineering Pilots. Including mold textures, final locked surfaces, final foam, and molded colors....ahhhhh. My daughter Sunny included loves to get in on the action!!
Write and Learn Desk_Vtech
Fix and Learn Speedy by Leapfrog - I love the top view. I really wanted to show the learning so you can see the 1,2,3 on the drivers an spoiler. The ABC is on the license plates. The vent detail is from a mini-cooper I took a photo of at the Auto Show in San Fran. You can see all the shapes on the engine that are used in the learning of the shapes in the content. I also HAD TO add the sweet flames on the hood. (Given)
Burger King Premium Toys
Leapfrog_Cook & Play Potsy - This is a toy that I designed and conceived at Leapfrog that started the Everyday Play line that is launching this Fall. Potsy was inspired by watching my 3 year old daughter Sunshine cook with me in the kitchen.
CAD Renderings - This concpept is my first patent at Leapfrog. 2 years in the making. A pre-school platform sytem that gets you up and moving with Disney's wonderful characters and Leapfrogs learning. Awesome Graphics that beat out the competition with an input device that really makes sense for 3-5 year olds. All prototypes and final a side surfacing done in Pro-e. Lots of preliminary models to get to the final design along with many hours of kid-testing!!
FEP Photos - Final Engineering Pilots. Including mold textures, final locked surfaces, final foam, and molded colors....ahhhhh. My daughter Sunny included loves to get in on the action!!
FEP Photos - Final Engineering Pilots. Including mold textures, final locked surfaces, final foam, and molded colors....ahhhhh. My daughter Sunny included loves to get in on the action!!
Huffy Seating
Fix and Learn Speedy by Leapfrog - When designing a toy you want to make all the plastic work for you whenever you can. When we were kid testing this concept the kids used the screwdriver and wrench on all edges and parts of the toy that we did not intend them to. So we decided to add some other interactive areas for the tools on the bottom and also make other areas of the toy be able to have the tools fit around them or follow the grooves.
Huffy Leveling System
Player Redesign
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Toy Design
Here are a few of my favorite toys I have designed over the years while working with Fisher-Price, Leapfrog, Warner Brothers, V-Tech, Walt Disney, Cartoon Network, and Dr Seuss.
Available
Freelance, Full-time, Moonlighting
Joe MacCarthy
Industrial Design Manager / Concept Artist
Berkeley, CA